Thied to benjamin feanklin wilkinson and waltee scott wil



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CHARLES RICHARD SWAN, OF BOIS BRULE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN VILKINSON AND VALTER SCOTT WIL- KINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,992, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed August 18, 1887. Serial No. 247,249. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES RICHARD SWAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bois Brule, in the county of Perry and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates and Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others ro skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a knockr5 down or folding crate constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 isaperspective view showing the several parts of the crate separated. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the crate folded for transportation or for pack- 2o ling it away when not in use, and Fig. 4 is a view of a dry-goods box constructed according to my invention.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. y

My invention consistsv in certain new and improved crates or boxes with their fastening devices, which are adapted to be folded for transportation or storage, and which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the flat solid bottom of a crate for fruit, Ste., constructed according to my invention. On the top or upper side of the ends of this bottom board, A, are secured the trans- 3 5 verse strips B B, and upon the upper side of the bottom board, parallel with these end strips and at a short distance from the same, are secured the shorterinner transverse strips, C C, leaving the parallel spaces D D between 4o the end strips, B B, andthe respective inner strips, G C,- as shown.

Across the bottom or lower side of the bottom board, A, are firmly secured the transverse flat metal bands or strips E E, which ex- 45.tend nearly across the bottom beneath the inner strips, C C, and the ends of which extend out beyond the sides of the bottom plate. These ends are formed eachwth4 the perforation F, for the purpose hereinafter described.

'small space at each of their ends.

H H indicate the side pieces of my improved folding crate, each of which is formed of thelougitudinal parallel pieces or strips or bars H and the two end posts or uprights, H2 H2. The end posts or uprights are secured to the parallel horizontal slats or bars H at a little 5 5 distance from the ends of the same, as shown. Thus when the side pieces are placed in position on the sides of the bottom board the outer sides of the posts or uprights H2 H2 will hein contact with the inner sides of the ends of the end pieces, G G, the side and end pieces being thus braced together. The outer ends of the longitudinal slats or bars of the side pieces bear against the ends of the end pieces, while the ends of the end pieces, on theirinner sides, bear against the end posts or upright-s of the side pieces, as shown.

Through the perforated ends of the metal straps E E on the bottom of the bottom board, near the ends of the same, pass the threaded stems of eyebolts I I, the said stems passing down and having nuts Jscrewed on their lower ends below the perforated ends of the metal straps, as shown. In the eyes at the upper ends ofthese eyebolts are hinged the bent lower ends ofthe metal bails K. Each of the said bails is formed of a single bar of iron bent at each end so as to form the straight central portion, K', which extends over the top of the crate, and the ends or side pieces, K2 K2, which extend down on each side of the crate at right angles to the middle upper portion. Each bail has its lower ends bent to form eyes K3 K3, which hook into the eyes on the tops of the eyebolts I I, as shown. The eyebolts I I stand with )5 their broad heads or eyes at right angles to the side of the crate, so that when the side pieces of the crate are placed in position in putting the crate together the inner sides of the eyes of the eyeholts will be in contact with the outer sides of the side pieces and will serve to hold them in position while the crate is being iilled, before the top thereof has been placed on in position to close the crate. The side pieces and end pieces having been placed in position on the bottom board, A, as described and shown, the top L is then placed in position. This top L is formed with the transverse end strips, M M, on its lower side, as shown, the top being of such length that when placed in position on the crate the end strips, M M, will tit over outside ot' the upper ends of the end pieces, G G. As the end strips on the lower side of the top Il thus fit over outside of the upper ends ofthe end pieces of the crate, and the ends of these end pieces bear against the end uprights or posts of the side pieces, II II, it will be seen that when the top is placed down in position on the top of the crate it will bind the end pieces in against the end uprights ofthe side pieces, H H, and will thus assist in binding the several parts of the folding crate together in their operative positions,assisting in rendering the crate strong and stable and preventing it from being knocked out ofshape while in transit or while being handled.

The nuts J on the lower ends of the eyebolts are screwed down or loosened, so that when the top L has been placed in position the end bails, K K, which have swung down and out so as to rest upon the ground or licor while the crate was being placed together, can now he swung up, so that their central longitudinal parts, K', will pass up over the ends of the top of the crate until the sides of the hails are in a straight line with the stems of the eyebolts, as shown in Fig. l. In this position the straight horizontal middle portions of the two end hails extend squarely over the end portions of the top of the crate near the ends ot' the same. Then the hails are up in this position, the nuts on the lower ends of the threaded eyeholts I I are screwed up, so as to draw the stems of the eyeholts down through the perforated ends of the metal crossbands E E, and thus draw the hails K K down, so that the central horizontal portions bear down firmly upon the top of the crate near the ends of the same. It will be seen that when the nuts on the lower ends of the eyeholts have been screwed up tight, so as to draw the metal hails down tightly on the top of the crate, a metal hand will he drawn tightly around cach end of the crate, formed by the metal bottom straps or bands, E E, the eyebolts with their nuls, and the hails with their central and side parts, as shown and described, and that these two metal bands will firmly and strongly bind the crate and hold it securely in its closed position, making the crate as solid and strong as a box built with permanentlyxed solid sides, ends, and top could possibly Vhere a box with solid sides, ends, and top is desired, instead of a crate for packing and shipping purposes, it can be constructed in accordance with my invention, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In this form I have shown a solid bottom having the outer end strips, but not the inner strips, (which may he employed or not in this form of my invention, as desired,) the eyeholts, with their nuts and the metal hails, and the metal straps or bands with the perforated ends extending across the bottom of the box. The end pieces, the side pieces, and also the top of this form are constructed solid, and the ends ofthe side pieces are preferably connected by a long hookbar, O` which is hinged at one end to one of the side pieces. The free hooked end of the bar engages with a staple, I), on the end of the other side piece, as shown, thus holding the end piece in position as well as holding the side pieces firmly against the end pieces, as shown. The top is secured in position on the box by the hails, in the same manner `as in the crate, before described. This box does not differ in any material form from the crate, both embodying the same features, and it may be employed in place ofthe crate when so desired.

The crate may be packed up for shipment or storage, so as to oecupyhut one-half the space it occupies when open, by laying the end pieces down tlat upon the betteln, then placing the side'pieces over them flat, and finally placing the top down tlat on the whole. The hails are then swung or turned over the whole, so as to meetin the middle, where they are tied together, when the whole crate will be thus folded and secured in a small compass, as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. Two crates may he folded up and packed together so as to occupy only the space of one when unfolded by first packing the ends and sides of the first crate down,-

as described, leaving.;` the hails out, however, and then placing the ends, sides, and top of the second crate on the first, when the hails of the iirst are then brought up and screwed down tight. The bottom of the second crate is then placed over this package and the hails of the second bottom are passed under the ends ofthe first bottom and screwed tight, as will be readily understood, when the two crates will take up only the space occupied by one when open.

In the top of the crate I provide an opening, which affords access to the interior of the crate when the top thereof has been secured in position by the hails. This openingis closed by a removable lid, S, the outer end of which rests upon one end cross-piece of the crate-top. It is formed with a central notch or recess, S'. This engages with a headed stopornail, T, on the crosspieee when the lid is slid into its closed position, the said headed stop serving to hold that end of the lid down shut. The other end of the lid, which rests upon the central cross-piece of the crate-top, is `formed with a central recess, S, in which iits the inner end ofthe middle halfAslat a of the crate-top, and

IIO

lI 3o claim, and .desire to secure by Let-ters Patent when the lid is slid into position it is retained in place by a tu rn-button, U, centrally pivoted on the inner end of the half-Slat, which may be turned longitudinally of the slat to permit of the removal orraising of the lid S, and which is turned transversely over1 that end of the lid to hold it in place.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation7 and advantages of my invention Will be readily understood.

It will be seen that my improved crates and boxes are simple and exceedingly strong in construction, and by their use fruit can be packed in crates or boxes Without danger of bruising it by nailing, and can be crated and boxed in better shape.

Having thus described my invention, what I of the United States, is

l. The combination, with the bottom having the end strips, of the side pieces having the end posts on their inner sides, the endpieces, the top having the end strips on its lower side, the metal strips secured beneath the bottom and having the perforated projecting ends, the eyebolts having the threaded stems and the nuts, and the hails, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, With the bottom hav- 3o ing the outer and inner parallel end strips, of the side pieces having the end posts on their inner sides, the end pieces, the top having the end strips on their lower side, the metal strips secured beneath the bottom and having the 55 perforated projecting ends, the eyebolts having the threaded stems and the nuts, and the bails, substantially as set forth.

3; The combination, with the crate composed of the bottoni, the side pieces, and the 4o end pieces, of the top formed with the middle half-Slat having the turn-button at its inner end and having the nail'or headed stop 011 the center ofits end cross-piece, and the removable lid formed with the notch in its outer end and 45 the central recess in its inner end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afxed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES RICHARD SWAN.

"Witnesses:

WALLACE SNooK, S. H. LEHIsToN. 

